Сhарtеr 193: I’ll Gо with You
Pаn Сhi, hоwеvеr, was extrеmеly unwilling and strugglеd free frоm Shеn Du, stеррing bаck a fеw paces. “Go chаsе aftеr them уоursеlf if уou wаnt. I’m nоt gоing. I’m а dеteсtive, not a соnstablе—I’m not respоnsible for сhasing pеорlе in thе middlе оf the night.”
“What did уоu saу?” Shеn Du glаred аt him fierсеly, clеnсhing his fists until theу creakеd.
“What, want to fight? Dо уоu reаlly think I’m afraid оf уоu?” As hе sроkе, Раn Chi quiсklу assumеd a fighting stаnce.
Sеeing this, Zhu Yаn hurriеd fоrward аnd grаbbеd Shеn Du. “Alright, alright, he’s nоt wrong. I’ll go with you to lоok.”
Only аfter heаring Zhu Yan’s wоrds did Shеn Du’s eхpression soften slightly. He shot a cold glance at Pan Chi. “With such little courage, you’re hardly worthy of being called a man.”
“…” Zhu Yan’s mind suddenly jolted. Over such a small matter, was it necessary to say something like that?
Sure enough, Pan Chi, standing nearby, grew angry. He stepped forward and said, “Who are you saying is hardly worthy of being called a man? It’s just chasing a criminal, isn’t it? I’ll go with you, then. Is it really necessary to be so petty?”
After speaking, he winked at Zhu Yan, who smiled awkwardly in response.
Pan Chi continued, “Lord Zhu is a woman and doesn’t know martial arts. She’ll definitely need someone to look after her on the way. If we really encounter the culprit, you can chase after them while I stay behind to protect her.”
The atmosphere, which had just begun to ease, grew tense again after Pan Chi’s words.
Shen Du’s eyes darkened. Since when did his woman need someone else to protect her?
“What did you say?” Shen Du’s sudden question left Pan Chi puzzled.
Instead of answering Shen Du directly, Pan Chi turned his gaze to Zhu Yan. “Did I say something wrong again?”
Zhu Yan shrugged, indicating there was nothing she could do.
Fortunately, she understood Shen Du. His temperament was unpredictable, and he often flew into inexplicable rages over trivial matters.
To avoid wasting more time, Zhu Yan tugged at Shen Du again. “Alright, alright. If we delay any longer, who knows what might happen to the bride.”
After speaking, she tried to pull Shen Du away, but he suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.
“You stay here and wait. We’ll go.”
Shen Du’s voice was low and commanding. Before Zhu Yan could react, he grabbed Pan Chi by the shoulder and dragged him out.
Pan Chi’s utterly astonished expression was gone before Zhu Yan could even see it, as he had already vanished from her sight.
Zhu Yan’s lips twitched. The situation seemed to be spiraling out of control…
With a helpless sigh, she gently rubbed her forehead. Shen Du was cold and arrogant, while Pan Chi was humorous and gentle.
Would two such people really be able to catch the culprit together?
With personalities so starkly different, would they end up fighting on the way due to disagreements?
Zhu Yan didn’t dare to think further. After all, Shen Du had left her behind, preventing her from getting involved in the affairs between the two men.
Shaking her head helplessly, Zhu Yan could only search for clues where she stood.
She followed the path Pan Chi had taken back to the bridal chamber. On the table, the dragon-and-phoenix wedding candles were still lit. Lifting the brocade quilt embroidered with the auspicious dragon-and-phoenix motif, she found the mattress scattered with red dates, peanuts, longans, lotus seeds, and other symbolic items.
Nothing seemed out of place, and there were no signs of disturbance. It was exactly as Pan Chi had said—nothing unusual.
Zhu Yan took a deep breath. Somehow, her intuition told her that this case was more complicated than she had imagined.Without giving it much thought, Zhu Yan continued searching for clues, moving from the bridal chamber back to the main hall, where she happened to overhear the voices of guests conversing in the side hall.
Perhaps they had been waiting in the side hall for too long, with nothing to do, making the long wait unbearable and stirring some complaints among them.
The group began chatting idly.
One woman remarked, "I thought today would be a joyous occasion, and we could share in the happiness by attending the wedding banquet. Who would have expected such a thing to happen? It’s truly infuriating, and now we’re stuck here for so long without being allowed to leave. When will they finally let us go?"
"Exactly, exactly," another woman complained. "I have matters to attend to at home, and it’s already so late. Are they going to keep us here until dawn?"
"Let it go, let it go. The officials are doing this to solve the case, so we shouldn’t complain too much. Let’s just follow their instructions," an elderly man chimed in. "Although today’s wedding took an unexpected turn, it has still broadened our horizons."
"What horizons could it possibly broaden? It was just an ordinary wedding. Aside from the bridal attendant—who did an outstanding job—I didn’t notice anything particularly special," another woman said haughtily. At the mention of the bridal attendant, a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
"You’re talking about him, aren’t you?" the elderly man continued. "It must have been quite challenging for him. The role of bridal attendant is typically suited for women, with very few men in the profession. But look at how well he performed. Perhaps in the future, men will be more accepted in this line of work."
"Don’t joke about it," another woman interjected. "This isn’t a particularly respectable profession, and it involves frequent contact with the bride, which can be inconvenient. What man would willingly take up such a job?"
Hearing this, the elderly man sighed helplessly. "Now that you mention it, it’s true. Wasn’t Xu Jize forced into this line of work because the imperial examinations proved too difficult for him?"
"It’s surprising you still remember that. When it comes to this Xu Jize, who among us locals doesn’t know of him?"
Another woman added,
"He originally came from a decent family, but he struggled with the imperial examinations and faced many restrictions. Without anyone to recommend him and lacking any significant talents for making a living, he relied on his clever tongue and passable looks to enter this profession. Who would have thought he’d become so successful and even famous in this line of work?"
"I think you’re just jealous. Both of you are bridal attendants, but the Li family didn’t invite you for their wedding—they invited him instead."
"Why state the obvious? I used to think I was doing quite well, but after seeing him today, I realized there are many areas where I truly fall short. I really need to learn more."
"Haha..."
Hearing their conversation, Zhu Yan grew curious about this bridal attendant.
Having found no clues in the main hall, she walked over to the side hall and stood among the group.
"Just now, I overheard you all discussing a bridal attendant who seems quite extraordinary. I wonder if it would be possible for me to meet him here? I have a close friend whose wedding is approaching, and I’d like to learn more about the arrangements."
Zhu Yan’s sudden arrival took everyone by surprise, as she was unfamiliar to them, strikingly beautiful, and dressed in official attire—a rare sight for a woman in officialdom. However, upon hearing her explanation, they let their guard down."I say, sir, when can we leave? It's already so late, you can't possibly expect us to stay here overnight."
No one responded to Zhu Yan's words, instead beginning to complain about her.
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